Folding grandstand



y 2 Shevets-Sheet l Sept. 22, 1936. j. H. ADAMsoN l FOLDING GRANDSTAND Fiied 'JanfaQf 195e 3mi/s -r1uwnh BY yATTORNEY Sept. 2,2, 193.6.v

` FOLDING GRANDSTAND` 4 Filed Jn. 29, 1956 2 sheets-sheet 2 JfH. ADAMSON Y, 2 2,054,960

Patented Sept. 2z, 193e FOLDING GRANpsTANDU i James H. Adamson, Larchmont, N. Y. Application YJanuary 29, V19.26,l seriall Nq. einen i f 8 Claims.

f This invention relates to new and` useful improvements yin folding grandstands.

It is Ythe object ofr theA present invention, in which a grandstand provided with the usual seatand footboards may be foldedup, to leave most'A of the space Vnormallyoccupied by the grandstand free from obstruction, the folding of the grandstand being readily effected although no'springs, counterweights, or the like are provided which complicate vthe structure and often interfere Withthe smooth operation of the dev1ce. 1

'Ihisv object is attained by supporting the seat and footboards on Stringers divided into two sections which may be folded up to a position Where the footboards of one section are nestled against the ,footboards of lthe otherk section, the two sections being provided with an upright which may be fastenedto the wall of a building through hinged levers which lare actuated in response to the lifting and loweringof one of the grandst/and sections. Y

" In order more clearly to explain the nature of the invention a preferred embodiment thereofy will be described in detail with reference to the drawings in which- Fig. 1 is'a side elevation showing the grandstand in an open position ready for use; l Fig. 2 is a side elevationshowing the grandstand' folded; f Y AFig. 3 is a front elevation Showing details the folding mechanism; .A Fig. 4 isy a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the grandstand in a partlyfolded position; and Y Fig."5 is an elevation and section lof grand- Stand Showing yfolded position of folding arms, supporting foot and grandstand section itself. AThe folding grandstand consists of seat and footboards I and 2 supported near their edges by `suitably shaped wood or steelv stringersv 3.

, The vlower straight edge of each Stringer is reinforced by'a 4steel plate 4 fastened thereto. The stringers on each side of the seat and footboards consist of two sections 3 and 3a which are hinged together so as to permit the folding `up of the grandstand in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, and 5. This .is accomplished'by providing a double bracket 5 on the left-hand end of the reinforcing plate 4a on stringer 3a, which is pivoted at 6 to a double plate 1 fastened to the right-hand end of the reinforcingplate 4. The lower ends of the plate 1 and the reinforcement 4 are formed into a tongue 8 which, when the grandstand is open asillustrated in Fig. 1,

is seated inthe cut-'out portion 9 of the bracket 5, affording thus an overlapping. rrn support. Inthe open condition as illustrated in Figl, the lower end of lstringer v3a rests on the floor Illfof the building and theupper end of the Stringer 3 ishinged at II' toa steel bar I2 fastened to the side wall I3 of theV building.

The two Stringer sections are connected with one another and with the steel barr I2 so as to permit the ready opening Vand closing of the grandstand, although noispecial counterweights', springs or the like are provided. A lever 20 is pivoted at one end to the steel upright 'I2 and itsl other end is hinged to a lever 2I vwhich is fastened to the bracket 5 on the lower section. An arm 22` has its lower end pivotedV to the arm 2l midway between its ends and its upper end to the plate 'l provided on the upper Stringer section. A hinged lever 23, 24 has its Stringer upper end pivoted to reinforcement 4 of the upper Stringer and its lower end to the upright I 2 near the floor IIl.V A leg 25 rests with its rubber tipped foot 2I on the floor I0 and is linked to the lever 23, 24 by means of a hinged connection 21. pivoted to the reinforcement 4 of the upper Stringer at 28 and has an arm 29 projecting beyond the pivot point 28, said arm being engaged by an upper and a lower pin 29 and 30 projecting from the bracket 5.

'I'he levers and associated mechanism 20 to 30 just described are duplicated on the other side of the stringers, the legs 25 on the two sides being interconnected bybraces Such as 3|, 32, 33.

The upper end of vleg 25 is When, as. shown in Fig. 4, it is desired to fold up the grandstand, the lower edge of the Stringer 3a is grasped and this Stringer section is lifted up by rotating it around its pivot point 6. The pin 29 will bear'against the free end of the arm 25a and will rotate the leg 25 in a clockwise direction around its pivot point 28. Through the agency of the arm 21 the leg 25 will break the hinged lever 23, 24, whereby the upper Stringer section 3 will be rotated towards the wall I3 around its pivot point II. This move- Y inaJ counterclockwise direction and straighten out the hinged lever 23, 24 until the position Shown in Fig. 1 iS attained automatically, placing the leg 25 in a locked position.

Along the edges of the seats I of the upper Stringer section 3 a hand rail 40 is provided. which is hingedly connected to the seat boards by means of arms 4l. The rail 40 is hinged also by means of a lever 42 to the upper end of the upright I2. As the grandstand is folded into place the railing 48, 4l, 42 will also be folded into the position Shown in Fig. 2.

The bottom surface of the Stringer Section 3a is covered by a finished panel of any suitable material 45, whereby in the folded position the grandstand will present a continuous wall as Shown in Figs. 2 and 5. In the folded position the bracket 5 is seated on a cushion 46 provided on the floor Ill.

It will be seen, therefore, that although no counterweights, springs or the like are provided, the folding and unfolding of the two sections of which the grandstand consists may be readily effected when the lower Section is lifted or lowered, since the motion of lowering or raising the grandstand section will be transmitted through the hinged connections to the other section, the weight of which aids in the folding operation.

As will be clearly seen from Figs. 2 and 5, when the lower section is folded against the upper section, the seatboards of the upper Section lie against the footboards of the lower section, whereby the grandstand occupies a very small space and leaves the floor Il! free from obstruction.

What iS claimed is:

1. In a folding grandstand, stringers supporting Seat and footboards, each of said stringers being divided into an upper and a lower Section, a hinged connection between the two sections so that the two Sections may be opened up to form a continuous Stringer and folded into substantially parallel relation with one another, a stationary upright, a pivotal connection between the free end of the upper Stringer and said stationary upright, and hinged levers connecting Said Stringer sections with said upright.

2. In a folding grandstand, stringers Supporting Seat and footboards, each of said stringers being divided into an upper and a lower Section, a hinged connection between the two sections so that the two Sections may be opened up to form a continuous Stringer and folded into Substantially parallel relation with one another, a stationary upright, a pivotal connection between the free end of the upper Stringer and said stationary upright, hinged levers connecting said Stringer sections with Said upright, a hinged support for the upper section, and means controlled by the lower section for actuating said support.

3. In a folding grandstand, stringers Supporting Seat and footboards, each of said stringers being divided into an upper and a lower section, a hinged connection between the two sections so that the two sections may be opened up to form a continuous Stringer and folded into Substantially parallel relation with one another, a Stationary upright, a pivotal connection between the free end of the upper Stringer Section and Said stationary upright, a first hinged connection between said upright and Said Stringer Sections,V a second hinged connection between said upright and the upper Stringer section, a leg pivoted on the upper Stringer section, and

means controlled by the lower Stringer Section for actuating said leg. Y

4. 'In a folding grandstand, stringers supporting seat and footboards, each of said stringers being divided into an upper and a lower Section, a hinged connection between the two Sections so that Vthe two sections may be opened up t0 form a continuous Stringer and folded into Substantially parallel relation with one another, a stationary upright, a pivotal connection between the free end ofthe upper `Stringer section and Said stationary upright, a rst hinged connection between said upright'and said Stringer Sections, a second hinged connection between Said upright and the upper Stringer section, a supporting leg pivoted on the upper Stringer Section, means controlled by the lower Stringer section for actuating said leg, an arm pivoted on said leg and engaging Said Second hinged connection, a collapsible hand rail on said upper Section, and a hinged connection between the hand rail and said upright; Y

5. In a folding grandstand, stringers supporting'seat and footboards, each of Said stringers being divided into an upper and a lower Section, a hinged connection between the two sections So that the two sections may be opened up to form a continuous Stringer and folded into Substantially parallel relation withV one another, a Stationary upright, a pivotal connection between the free end of the upper Stringer and Said stationary upright, a hinged three-armed lever with one arm pivoted to said upright, a second arm to the upper Stringer Sec-.- tion and a third arm to the lower Stringer section, a hingedY link having one end pivoted on Said uprightY and the other end to the upper Stringer section, a leg pivoted on the upper Stringer Section and having a projection, two pins on the lower Stringer section, one engaging the upper and face of the projection on said leg, and an arm pivoted on Said leg and engaging Said hinged link. v

6. In a folding grandstand, stringers Supporting seat and footboards, each of said stringers being divided into an upper and a lower Section, a hinged connection between the two sections so that the two sections may be opened up to form a continuous Stringer and folded into Substantially parallel relation with one another, a Stationary upright, a pivotal connection between the free end of the upper Stringer and said Stationary upright, a hinged three-armed lever with one arm pivoted to said upright, a Second arm to the upper Stringer third arm to the lower Stringer section, a hinged link having one end pivoted on Said upright and the other end to the upper Stringer section, a leg pivoted on the upper Stringer Section and theY other engaging the lower section and a having. a projection, two pins on the lower Stringer Section, one engaging the upper and the other engaging the lower face of the projection on Said leg, an arm pivoted on `said leg and engaging Said hinged link, a hand rail, rods pivoted on Said hand rail, a pivotal mounting for each rod on a seatboard, and a hinged link between the hand rail and said upright.

7. In a folding grandstand cooperating with a vertical support or wall and a horizontal Support or floor, stringers, seat-boards Supported on Said stringers at different levels, foot-boards supported on Said stringers at different levels, Said foot-boards being in different horizontal planes than said seat-boards when the grandstand is opened, a hinged connection between the two sections and a, hinged connection between the wall and one section so that the two sections may be opened up to form a continuous Stringer the lower end of which rests on the floor, and said sections may be folded into substantially nested relationship with the seat-boards of one on one section, and a hinged connection between 5v the Wall and the hand rail.

JAMES H. ADAMSON. 

